Meet Suneera Madhani, the woman who turned down Rs 150 crore to build a multi-billion-rupee company

Hailing from Pakistan, Suneera Madhani, along with her brother Sal Rehmetullah, founded Stax in 2014 in Florida, creating an all-in-one payment platform that operates on a monthly subscription fee model, distinguishing it from the typical percentage-based sales model used by other platforms.

Suneera Madhani’s journey began after graduating in finance from the University of Florida, where she worked with Atlanta-based payment processor First Data.

With encouragement from her parents, Suneera Madhani and her brother embarked on the development of a platform based on a monthly subscription model.

Pitching their idea in Orlando, they secured 100 clients. Interestingly, during this phase, they received a tempting Rs 145 crore offer to buy Stax, which they declined, drawing inspiration and confidence to forge ahead.

Facing financial constraints after quitting their jobs, the siblings secured a loan of USD 50,000 from family and friends, investing it in their venture.

Today, the company employs over 300 people, marking a remarkable journey from their humble beginnings.